looking for tips on leveling land

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For what it is worth, in keeping with cajunrider's post on carport.

Most of my equipment is in a large garage. Hand tools seem to mostly get stored in a "pre-fab" shed I placed on a gravel pad of 2B for drainage, and the trimmed the perimeter with ornamental stone to keep the boss happy.

I was looking for something to keep direct sun and the elements off some attachments when I saw these carports "pop-up" at local outdoor business.

Anyway the one I got is 18'X21'- 4" galvanized square box tube bolted together with metal roof. Cost $850.00 installed/built on my lot by a crew in less than two hours. Structure is "pinned" to "relatively" level area. I added some gravel inside (mostly what I had laying around or left over from some customer jobs) for a floor as an experiment.

Well, it has been there for 3 years now and has just been great. I keep my PHD, BB, rake, harrow, roller, tiller, wheelbarrow and small carts in it. It has weathered well and works as intended. I put a small rubbermaid outside storage container in it for fuel containers and other Misc. items.

The way it is built I could "skin" the sides easily with the same metal as my garage, just haven't gotten around to it yet. )</font>

Do you have a link to where these can be purchased? Thanks. Gerard

 

[Tim_in_IA]

Could you post some pictures of your carport? I am also considering doing this..

Thanks!

 

[AlanB]

I am not sure if this is what he has but these are the ones I was looking at and they seem to fit his description.

Unfortunately they are updating their website at the moment.

www.carolinacarports.com

These are popped up all over town here (Clarksville, TN) and you go in and pay 10% and then they come build it and you pay the balance. Will probably see one or two around my place this year.

 

[Bird]

Alan, it says the site is under construction, so I didn't find any pictures, but I think Carolina carports are almost the same as the T-N-T carports like I have.

 

[millsnhills]

You have to hold your mouse over the "Main Menu" selection then the menu options will appear. Then you can click on Carports and such.

 

[RayH]

Dan,
The shed you describe will be fine to hold your BX the way it is. Most prefab sheds that are setup the way you descibe are designed to hold the weight of a vehicle. I wouldnt do it but that is what they say.
Ideally, I would use a laser level to level your base out. My concern would be getting the fresh dirt compacted. How deep are you filling with dirt? If its only a few inches, just use all gravel to level the area out.
I would put the dirt in and rent a vibrating compactor to compress it. Get it semi level and put a couple inches of gravel on top of that so your treated wood isnt laying directly on the dirt. Do your final leveling with the gravel. If youve still got the compactor, run it over the gravel.

Where in MD are you located? If its near Hagerstown, you can use my laser level.

 

[Bird]

Yep, I missed that. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[GerardC]

Thanks for the links guys. Gerard

 

[hhw]

Sorry for the late response, was off getting a new utility truck. My carport is in fact a "T-N-T." I tried to get a digital pix last evening, but digital camera is acting up.

The thing is actually pretty straight forward and simplistic, maybe that's why I like it so much. I can "un-pin" it and, if I hook up to it correctly I can slide it around with little trouble. Obviously the trick is in getting an even pull from the hook-up.

A buddy got one after he saw mine and set it up in his back yard. A year later he decided he wanted to move it to his camp. He just made a diagram, dismantled it, loaded it on his trailer and set it up at his camp. Then he got another one for home, larger of course.

If you need me to, I could go out and try to get a phone number off of one of the models.

 

[hhw]

Tim, I see that Bird has found the link for Gerard, and when I went there they had pix. I think you would be happy with the overall product, I know I was. Hope it works for you guys.

 

[Dan_w]

Wow, I thought this thread was dead. I am not sure the wife will go for a carport.

Thanks for the good info, and the offer RayH. I live in Waldorf would be quite a drive. I will try the stake option. I guess, I should rent a compactor to settle the ground. I think at the thickest the fill will be about 20 inches thick. How much settling will I see if I do not vibrate it. The fill is very sandy.

The ideas and help here is second to none! Thanks all!

 

[gates]

Dan,
Sand does not compact , it shifts. Sandy loom is not a good fill to create a base out of. For the fill , 20" should be compacted. If you do not want to rent a roller use your pick up to compact it. Do the compaction in what is called lifts. Put 3"-4" down and compact it (drive truck accross it in different directions). Then repeat the same process until you are at your finished grade.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Absolutely!, for a building such as that, the truck compaction in "lifts" works well. At least it has for me. Feel free to put plenty of air in the tires as that will round out your footprint thus getting more psi per wheel.

 

[RayH]

Wow, 20". I agree, thats alot to not compact. If you dont compact it at all you will probably see at least 4" of settlement no matter what type of fill it is. I suggest renting a pull behind roller for your BX. I think theyre about $14/day and do as the others have suggested by adding only a few inches at a time and smash the he!! out of it.